


Wailing Song

by kenji1104



Category: Fire Emblem: Fuukasetsugetsu | Fire Emblem: Three Houses
Genre: Angst, Annette Week 2020, Character Death, F/M, Fire Emblem: Three Houses Black Eagles Route, Fire Emblem: Three Houses Black Eagles Route Spoilers, Romance, Tragedy
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-08
Updated: 2020-05-08
Packaged: 2021-03-03 00:08:44
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,362
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24075739
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kenji1104/pseuds/kenji1104
Summary: For Day 2 of Annette Week 2020. Theme: Disaster.Follow the final turn of events that led to fully change Annette's life and outlook the other way around. Can she turn this around or will she remain as nothing but a plaything to fate's cruel whims?Warning: Very angsty and depressing.
Relationships: Annette Fantine Dominic/Felix Hugo Fraldarius
Comments: 4
Kudos: 12





	Wailing Song

**Author's Note:**

> I must admit, I was already planning on writing an angsty Felannie story before I discovered about Annette week, this story was meant to be the Forlorn Feelings version of my Felannie stories.
> 
> Anyway, hope you enjoy this!

“That was… satisfying…” Annette mused, patting her slightly swollen stomach that was filled with steaks and cakes as she and Felix left the restaurant she frequented in Fhirdiad.

If there’s one thing she could thank the war for is her close proximity on all the good stops to eat in the capital city due to her standing by and awaiting orders from King Dimitri.

That and her closer proximity to Gilbert and the Royal School of Sorcery for magical pursuits counts as additional silver linings in such dire times. Long has she wanted to be closer to her father, wanting to mend the broken bridge that was their relationship as family back then.

Felix kept his frown as the two walked together into the central square of the city, still bustling with activity such as trade and chatter on Dimitri’s impending victory against the Empire. Confident that they will prevail as Loog, the King of Lions did back then.

Annette noticed that deep within his usual frown, something was bothering Felix ever since they met up. Normally, as much as she disapproves of it, Felix would look forward to crossing swords with the army of the Empire in skirmishes that he expected to participate in but this time… Annette was worried, she could feel the anxiety from him.

“Felix? Is there something wrong?”

Felix didn’t respond, he only stopped in his walk and so did Annette.

“It's what we ate isn’t it? Silly me, I shouldn’t have ordered the cake for two—“

“It's not that.” Felix led out a sigh of exasperation before turning his back on her and walking to the central fountain of the city square, staring at the moving waters.

Annette only looked on in concern after approaching him, placing a hand on his shoulder.

“Annette, how long has this been going on between us?”

“Between us?”

Felix sighed once again, he growled after, trying hard to find the words he needed to tell her while Annette only looked on.

“Us. Going out, like this.” Felix pointed out, his face with a frustrated scowl.

“O-Oh.” Annette murmured. “Are you perhaps… getting tired of me dragging you into these kinds of things?” She sadly asked, feeling a sense of guilt that maybe after all this time Felix was just feeling forced to accompany her.

For a moment, Felix’ scowl faded and turned to confusion. Then, Felix laughed prompting Annette to get offended, thinking she never did anything to warrant such a reaction from Felix, she thought he was mocking her.

“What’s so funny?” She asked with a pout, puffing her cheeks up in annoyance.

Felix scoffed after he was done laughing, shaking his head in denial to dispel any sort of ridiculous assumptions Annette had concocted inside her overthinking brain.

“Nothing.” Felix said, his laughter earlier having dispelled some of the gloom he felt.

Though it would appear to most people he knew but Felix had a justified reason why he felt more gloomy than usual. There was also a reason why he is so eager to join Annette on her escapades with food she wants to eat (and sings about), it’s because she’s one of the very few things in the world right now that he feels… lighter to be with.

News has reached him earlier that the Alliance has fallen and its forces assimilated to the Adrestian Empire’s increasingly growing strength, there was also a report submitted in the war council that the Church’s forces supplemented with the Kingdom’s own had been successfully repelled by the Empire’s forces in Garreg Mach.

But what made Felix concerned was the confirmation of the professor’s return, a shocking news since he has been believed missing for five years. Even Dimitri was taken aback by the news of the so-called “Second Coming of Nemesis” that Rhea had branded the enigmatic professor of the Black Eagles. Felix has seen what the man can do and while he used to be excited with the prospect of sparring with him, he seems to dread fighting him to the death.

Then there was also the Archbishop to be concerned about, Felix and Sylvain had both noted that Rhea had been growing increasingly unhinged as the years went by after Edelgard’s victory in Garreg Mach. She was prone to outburst on even the small objections to her plans and would often pray for retribution to befall upon Edelgard and more recently, Byleth.

They were also concerned about Dimitri as well as he had been obsessed with the prospect of facing the Emperor in the battlefield, it would seem like Dimitri had learned something to solidify so much hatred against Edelgard.

But what Felix is more concerned about was…

“There’s that gloomy face again.” Annette pointed out, her pout changing to concern as Felix realized all feelings of mirth he had has faded once again.

Annette touched the side of his face with her gloved hand.

“Hey… Do you want to talk about it?” Annette asked, understanding that something truly is bothering Felix, her blue eyes softening at his conflicted copper ones.

Felix bit his lip, he didn’t want to ruin their limited time together. It’s not a luxury he can afford anymore considering the current state of the war they are embroiled in. Gritting his teeth as a way to steel his resolve, Felix grabbed Annette’s hands and held it down which earned a surprised squeak from her.

“Annette… I…I...” Felix stammered as he looked on Annette’s widened eyes, losing himself to those majestic blue orbs that were always filled with boundless cheer and optimism as well as the voice he would liken to surpass that of the Goddess if he would blaspheme openly.

He loves her. He had realized all of this ever since the war began and when he was forced by Annette to keep her singing and dancing a secret back in their days in the academy. Ever since then, they have been frequently seen with each other to the point that Sylvain would tease him (earning a punch from Felix as a result) about it and yet, Felix could never understand what was it that compelled him to do so.

It was only after a night of drinking with Sylvain and Ingrid did he realize, all thanks to Ingrid, that Felix finally knew it. He was in love with Annette.

How and why a cold and sharp tongued man like him would ever be with the optimistic and soft spoken girl like her was a mystery but he didn’t care.

He badly wanted to tell her how he felt all this time…

“Felix…”

He wanted to touch her hands more to feel her warmth.

“F-Felix…”

He wanted to grab the sides of her face and just kiss her.

“F-Felix!”

Felix blinked and saw Annette wincing in pain, he had been squeezing her hands too hard all this time. He immediately let go of her hands as Annette withdrew them to her chest.

“S-Sorry…” Felix apologized, mentally hitting himself for what he just did. He was so frustrated by his lack of progress that he had been hurting her.

Annette shook her head, having no ill feelings for what Felix did though her hands could still feel the pain of being nearly crushed by Felix’ hands.

“What’s wrong?” Annette asked once more, gently urging him to speak up to her as he had always done so in the past.

Annette had always been Felix’ shoulder to lean on whenever something angers him, most likely his father, Rodrigue who he gets into an ideological argument with almost every time. Annette always assures Felix that Rodrigue meant well for him and that he should understand what Rodrigue is trying to do for Faerghus as well as upholding its values.

The Dominic girl always assures Felix she would always be there for him should he want to vent or talk about his problems, thinking that bottling such feelings would do more harm to him than good and so, Felix had indeed relayed his problems to her ever since.

“Annette.” Felix swallowed, clenching his fists on his side. “We’ve been friends for so long. You’ve been there with me to listen to my problems.”

Felix blushed, looking away from Annette. “I’ve never expressed how thankful I am with your company all these years.”

Unknown to Felix, Annette was blushing furiously as she slowly realized the direction this was heading to.

“I guess what I’m trying to say is I like you.” Felix admitted, gritting his teeth after saying it. “And I don’t mean it as liking you as a person but because-- Aghh, I don’t even know what I’m saying!” Felix nearly yelled out in frustration as he realized that he had begun to blabber, covering his face in embarrassment with his right hand while growling at himself.

Before he could have the courage to face Annette and before the latter could say something, Rodrigue arrived on top of his trusted armored steed, looking alarmed and in a rush.

“Felix, finally I found you.”

Both Felix and Annette turned to look at the man known as the Shield of Faerghus, Felix didn’t look appreciative of his father’s sudden arrival.

“What is it now?” Felix irritably asked, not holding back any feelings he had at his father. Annette worriedly held his left hand to try to calm him down.

Rodrigue didn’t care at the tone of Felix’ voice.

“We have received word that the Empire is heading to Arianrhod.”

Felix and Annette’s eyes widened. “Arianrhod? I thought it was reported that they are heading to Fhirdiad and the boar would engage them in Tailtean Plains?” Felix asked with clear shock.

“I’ll explain on the way, for now we must ride to Ariarnhod and secure it before the Adrestian Empire arrives, make haste! Our forces are getting ready to head there now.” Rodrigue ordered before riding off, leaving Felix with no choice but to curse the sudden turn of events.

Felix turned to Annette who bore a look of great worry.

“F-Felix…” Annette murmured as she pulled his hand towards her.

“I’m sorry, Annette. I must go.”

“N-No, Felix… I have a bad feeling on this one. Please, don’t go.” Annette said with dread filling her voice, her eyes begging him not to go through with this.

This sudden march of the Empire to Arianrhod, it all seemed like it was something they have planned all along and what scares Annette most is the very possibility that the professor would be involved in that battle, having heard of how the man that has earned his title of the “Ashen Demon.” had decimated armies all by his own thanks to the tremendous power he possesses.

The way the stories from the retreating Knights of Seiros spoke of them, it was terrifying. It was more terrifying when they heard how the professor defeated Seteth during the assault to reclaim Garreg Mach. They never heard of Seteth and Flayn again after that battle, with all of them assuming they perished along with those slain.

Felix gave her a sad smile before holding her hands again.

“Wait for me.” Felix told her as Annette’s worried eyes softened at his smile yet maintained the look of fear and concern.

“I will. Please, come back safely.” Annette pleaded.

Felix chuckled. “You owe me a song when I get back.” Felix slightly smirked before letting go of Annette’s hands to prepare himself to march to Arianrhod with his father.

Annette could only reach out for his hands, longing to hold them back again to no avail. Felix’ form disappeared as the distance grew between them.

“I love you…” Annette whispered before she looked up at the darkening skies above Fhirdiad and breathed out a prayer of safety to the Goddess above.

Little did Annette know that she should have had the courage to say those words to Felix that she had also been holding back when she had the chance…

* * *

Annette waited in tense anticipation near the gates of Fhirdiad as the defeated and demoralized army that retreated in defeat from Arianrhod had steadily flowed in the city, all of them looking disheartened at the loss they felt responsible for in failing to defend the famed Fortress City. The belief the people of Fodlan once held that the Silver Maiden that is Arianrhod wouldn’t fall from the siege had been crushed as is the city itself in a literal sense.

A soldier broke off from the line of soldiers that were marching in the city, Annette recognized the man from his outfit as someone who served House Galatea, whose armies in Arianrhod were in direct command of Ingrid.

The soldier approached Sylvain who bore a look of dread upon seeing the crushed emotion that the soldier held but what affected Sylvain the most is what the Galatea soldier held.

Kneeling down on one knee, the soldier presented Sylvain with a recognizable spear head that was once part of Luin, the Heroes’ Relic that House Galatea possesses and wielded by Ingrid, its Crest Stone gone from the shattered spear head.

Annette could only feel her heart wrench at the sight of Sylvain falling down on his knees to the ground, hugging the remains of Luin close to his chest as he led out a guttural roar of agony, grieving Ingrid’s death.

“Lady Annette?”

Annette looked in front of her to see a wounded soldier with a blood stained bandage wrapped around his left eye, he wore colors belonging to House Fraldarius and in his hands was a dirtied white cloth wrapping something she couldn’t distinguish.

“No…” Annette breathed out, feeling a heightened sense of dread on what the man was carrying, she desperately looked at the last of the soldiers from Arianrhod who went in the city gates with the last soldier devoiding her of any hope.

“He fought bravely in battle… The Ashen Demon… he…” The soldier couldn’t finish as Annette slowly unfolded the cloth to reveal a shattered hilt of Felix’ Wo Dao sword, dirtied and devoid of its renowned sharp blade.

Tears were already beginning to spill from Annette’s eyes as she noticed what seemed to be a small black box, caked in Felix’ dried blood and bearing a slash on its upper lid.

Annette took the box and opened it to reveal a golden ring bearing an intricate floral design, it would have looked beautiful if it wasn’t stained by blood and its supposedly dazzling part wasn’t shattered, the blue gemstone situated upon its head, a blue gemstone that matches the color of her eyes…

Annette started breathing heavily as she finally pieced what Felix had intended to do before his departure, she backed away from the soldier who continued relaying the story on how Felix was slain in battle by Byleth, sparing the soldier serving Felix and instructing him to bring Felix’ personal effects to the one he was close to.

_“You’re evil, Felix!”_

He wanted to propose to her…

_“And you’re shouting.”_

That was what he intended all along…

_“Oh, you are the worst!”_

He loves her…

_“Stop it, Felix! You're a villain!”_

And she knew... she loves him too…

_“I'll hate you forever and ever!”_

But now, he was gone…

Out of her reach…

Fhirdiad was filled with the mournful cries of the people who lost their loved ones on that day yet it was said that despite Mercedes’ attempts to console her friend, Annette’s wails echoed across Fhirdiad, her grief immeasurable towards the man she lost.

A man she loves.

_“Felix! Are you… blushing?”_

A man she regretted not telling what she feels.

_“I don't know. Shut up. I'm not blushing!”_

She loves him and she had lost him.

_“Sing for me. Please, Annette?”_

She can never sing him a song again…

_“Well... OK. Just this once…”_

* * *

Annette stood alone, looking up at the night sky. The stars seemed beautiful to look at, if only it were that easy for her to get the cheer that was so prevalent in her back.

Everything is different now, the comfort and joy she once had in the company of her friends and former classmates is nothing but a fleeting memory.

Happy memories of their time together in Garreg Mach that could never be repeated in their adulthood. The smiles and laughter they all shared, replaced by grief and anger.

She and Ashe is all that remained of them. They had just buried Sylvain, Dimitri and… Mercedes… All in one day.

Tailtean Plains… was a disaster. The combined forces of the Empire and what was once the Alliance overwhelmed them despite the masterful strategy Rhea and Dimitri had both formed to crush the Adrestian Empire in an attempt to repeat the events of history in Tailtean Plains where Loog defeated the Emperor to secure their independence. They just couldn’t completely account for the commanders of the Empire who were composed of the best students that came from the Black Eagles and Golden Deer.

Sylvain went on an attempt to avenge Ingrid and Felix’ death, both of which were reported to have been killed by the professor in separate combat in Arianrhod. Sylvain only met his eventual death at the hands of the professor’s students, denying him of any form of revenge.

Dimitri fell as he fought Edelgard, he was said to be the last one to die which finally broke the Kingdom Army’s morale which led to their surrender while Rhea was forced to be dragged out of the fighting after Byleth narrowly bested her.

Then… there was Mercedes… her beloved best friend, Mercie… Everytime Annette recalls how she died, she couldn’t help but feel the bitter irony of fate for her killer was none other than the long lost brother she had long to be reunited with.

As if Felix’ death couldn’t break her spirit enough, she had lost her one and only best friend in the world. Annette wished she could have joined Mercie in her last moments, wanting to at least provide her some semblance of comfort. Annette couldn’t fathom why fate was too cruel enough to take such a pure hearted woman like Mercedes away with its cruel whims.

She wished she was there, she wanted to die in battle and drag the professor done with her out of vengeance yet Dimitri ordered her to stand down and Gilbert held her back to join when she tried to defy the king’s order, telling Annette that her mind isn’t in the right state to concentrate on what was at hand. Annette ended up breaking down for the first time in front of her father, seeing his daughter suffering so much and having no one to turn to for her grief for Felix, Gilbert stayed with her that day. It took to Annette losing what she wanted for Gilbert to finally be a father to her, years after he left her life.

Despite all of that, her reconciliation with her father didn’t do much to restore Annette to the girl of boundless cheer she once was.

Annette looked at the ring she wore on her left ring finger, looking at the shattered blue gemstone that reflected within her blue eyes, she touched the gemstone, rubbing the damaged stone affectionately before standing up and picking up Crusher that was lodged on the stone ground.

Despite the confusion of the people, their cries for help and the shock of the surviving Kingdom soldiers, Annette walked through the burning city of Fhirdiad. What was one her home is now a blazing shadow of itself as the Empire breached through its gates in an attempt to finally end the Church and Kingdom after breaking its army in Tailtean Plains.

Any Empire soldier unfortunate enough to come her way, she had smashed their bodies in, any Empire mage that dared to cast their spells on her, she ripped to shreds with her magic.

Nothing could stop her now despite their overwhelmed status, Annette didn’t care anymore. There was no strategy in motion anymore, there was only chaos.

Annette didn’t care anymore, everything was gone for her. There was no hope left, any traces of it were buried under the ground where her dear friend Mercie rested.

Any possibility of joy had all been decimated in the ashes of Arianrhod along with any possibility of ever loving someone.

She didn’t care anymore. All she wanted was to find the man who was responsible, the catalyst that started the downfall of her life, a life she thought had so much promise and hope only for that man to turn it all to ash as his moniker suggests.

She spotted him among the flames, calmly fighting Cyril as the Almyran servant of the now insane archbishop howled in rage towards him. With an attack from the whip form of his divine sword, Byleth decapitated Cyril’s wyvern by the neck which forced him to fight him on the ground.

Annette took her chance, she slowly approached the professor while his back was turned, dominating his fight against Cyril, slashing and kicking him away as the Almyran kept on coming at him relentlessly.

She mustered every power she has coursing through her veins, gathering everything within her hands as she let go of Crusher, needing two hands to cast the spell she was about to unleash towards the man who took everything from her, a man she had once respected as her teacher and the man who murdered Felix.

The wind danced around her, resonating with the unrestrained arcane power she now possesses. This was her chance, she knew she couldn’t take on him with her hammer despite its overwhelming power, this was the only way to avenge the deaths of her friends… and Felix. The professor didn’t deserve an honorable end, he only deserves to be shredded to nothing but bloody pieces along with the wind.

Cast it… Cast it… Cast it…

Her mind addled with nothing but vengeance, Annette let out a roar to finally unleash Excalibur from her hands until something pierced through her chest.

Annette coughed out blood as the spell she had prepared faded into nothing, she looked down on her chest to see a spike made out of dark magic protruding in and out of her chest.

Her body felt limp, the fatal wound draining her out of most of her energy, it was only sheer willpower that kept her alive yet that wasn’t enough.

Coughing out more blood that splattered her white dress, she saw the one responsible for her fatal wound, her eyes slightly widened at the sight of a certain snow haired girl who gave her a look of regret, not uttering a single word to the person she had befriended once in the academy, in her hands was a staff glowing with power.

Annette then turned to look at the subject of her revenge, finally stabbing Cyril on the chest and delivering a swift chop to the head that ended his life.

Annette wished it was the professor who met such a fate but no hope of that remains anymore as the roar of the creature the archbishop had turned to, echoed across the burning city that was Annette’s home.

Losing all manner of strength, Annette fell to the ground, catching sight of the fountain that was once where Felix and Annette had last spoken.

She imagined how different her fate… their fate could have been if she had the courage to tell him how she felt… She imagined embracing Felix and he to her, she imagined her crying tears of joy as she accepted his proposal… she imagined what could have been them should the Kingdom won against the Empire.

Tears rolled down from her eyes one last time as she imagined being Felix’ wife and the mother of their children, she imagined teaching them how to sing as Felix listened in, she imagined chiding Felix for being rough on training their children to fight and lastly, she imagined Felix being forced to eat sweets by their children.

Such thoughts gave her comfort as her life drained away, her last sight was the broken ring she wore on her left hand, staring at the shattered gemstone.

Annette Fantine Dominic, the girl that was once the most cheerful girl, broken by the harshness of war… has passed away.

* * *

Annette awoke from her sleep under the shade of a tree on a verdant meadow.

She blinked, she didn't recognize this place yet… It felt like a sanctuary. She felt warm… safe…

She stood up, looking around her, confused. Was she dreaming all this time? Perhaps she went somewhere to relax and never realized she had slept for so long.

Was everything a nightmare all along?

Her questions were soon answered as the smell of something familiar touched her nose as well as the sound of a familiar tune being hummed rather coarsely by someone rung through her ears.

Annette made her way to the seemingly endless grass fields until she came across a table with two chairs looking out of place within the verdant meadow.

Then she caught sight of what was on the table, a plate of steak on each side of the table and the other side having a slice of cake which the opposite lacked.

But what made her gasp was the person sitting on one chair, looking up at the clear blue sky as he hummed the tune that she had heard since her arrival on this place…

The humming stopped as the person sitting on the chair finally acknowledged her arrival. He stood up and gave her a smile.

“F-Felix…” Annette breathed out, feeling relieved to finally see him before her.

“You kept me waiting for so long that I had to practice the damn song myself.” Felix smirked before offering his right hand forward for Annette to hold.

A single tear fell from Annette’s eye and took hold of Felix’ hand, her left hand that was decorated with the golden ring now with its blue gemstone in its restored state.

“You owe me a song.” Felix said as Annette giggled, embracing him in the afterlife.

**Author's Note:**

> Now I feel like shit doing this instead of updating my Felannie modern AU story, The Bubbly and the Surly!
> 
> I hope you guys enjoyed this depressing ride, any kind of hatred you guys have developed towards me for this story, its justified. Feel free to lynch me on the comments below XD
> 
> Kudos and comments are appreciated! And also, Happy Birthday to Annette! My third best girl in Three Houses after Edelgard and Lysithea! Sorry I have to make your life miserable in this story though...


End file.
